The Buzz

 

When I was pregnant with our third child, I would constantly run into acquaintances who would say things like, “You’re pregnant again. Are you crazy?” or “Haven’t you guys figured out what causes that yet?” or “Why doesn’t your husband just 'get it taken care of' like all of his friends?” Of course, the real questions behind the questions were, "Who in their right mind would choose to have so many children in this day and age?" and "Who wants a house full of red-faced, stinky, whiny little creatures who require more time and energy, not to mention money, than you even knew you had?"

At the time, I didn’t have a clever response to any of these questions so I would just explain that we were trying for a boy (we already had two adorable little girls). Now I realize that by having that third child, my husband and I suddenly, and unknowingly, became members of the Large Family Club. Anyone who wasn’t a member of the club simply couldn’t understand where we were coming from. Of course, the third child who secured our membership to the club was another precious girl! Note to non-club members: A mother who expects to be able to go to the bathroom on her own on any given day and a father who expects to be able to take a relaxing vacation anytime in the next 20 years should definitely not join the club.

When we were expecting our fourth child, people were no longer asking the questions. Instead, they were reacting in silent shock to our exciting news. I suppose we are in the minority of most American families. According to a Census analysis released in 2004, only 10 percent of U.S. households had five or more people. It is a well known fact that the average number of children in U.S. families has dropped significantly since the 1960s (although I haven't been able to find an exact statistic so far). Indeed, being a member of the Large Family Club in the 21st century puts families into a whole new category for practically EVERYTHING. For starters, the noise level in our house has, and will continue to, increase exponentially. I can hear it now - four little girls' high-pitched screams all at once.

After the fourth child, we had to upgrade our vehicle from a Ford Explorer to the biggest possible SUV on the market, a Chevy Suburban with three rows of seats! Forget about being able to take the whole family anywhere in our nice and comfy four door sedan. Afterall, you've got to have enough room for all the kids, the occasional friend (or two), and don't forget the necessary kid paraphernalia (aka "crap"). Actually, a minivan is the more customary vehicle for members of the Large Family Club, however, my husband and I just hadn't been able to bring ourselves to buy what we considered to be an un-cool set of wheels. Alas, with the price of fuel sky-rocketing as it has, we have no choice but to trade in our gas-guzzling Suburban for something more fuel-efficient. Looks like I may be joining all those minivan-driving soccer moms after all.

Speaking of paraphernalia, I think my husband last counted six strollers in our garage. As new parents who wanted the best of everything for their child, we started out with a high-end travel system which included the oh-so-convenient snap-in infant seat and a huge storage basket underneath. Then we went to a more compact version of the same thing (in the newest pattern, of course). Finally, there was the umbrella stoller to save space, the jogger for those rare strolls in the park, and even a trailer that attaches to a bicyle. The trailer was used a total of TWO times and still sits in the rafters of our garage. When the third baby came along we, of course, had to get a double stroller. I think you get my drift. The amount of "stuff" you accumulate with a large family is neverending. We haven't even begun to discuss the gazillion toys that constantly lay strewn all over the house. Not one room (even the bathroom) is without them! Even that is not so bad when you consider what life will be like in 5-10 years from now with FOUR daughers going through puberty. Ah, the fun that lies ahead. We'll save the discussion of the cost of four college educations and four weddings for another day!

Having a large family brings days of craziness that can sometimes be overwhelming and hectic. But those crazy days are met equally with those of pure delight, awe and amusement. Those are the moments we choose to focus on. Our four children bring us great joy and we feel lucky and blessed to have such a happy and healthy family. The heartwarming and hilarious moments well make up for the craziness. Catching one of the girls in a moment of carefree laughter and silliness is enough to make my day complete (plus maybe a nice glass of wine at the end of a long day when they're all finally in bed). Cheers to the members of the Large Family Club!!!!!